Last month, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Angus King (I-ME) introduced bipartisan legislation that aims to reform private foundations, and ensure that charitable dollars held in donor advised funds (DAFs) are distributed to working charities in a reasonable period of time. A joint press release states: “Donor-advised funds currently have more than $140 billion set... Read More
Foundation trustees have many responsibilities, but fulfilling their legal duties probably tops the list. As such, it’s important that you know the rules and where trustees trip up most. Beyond the law, there are many things foundations can do, such as having a clear mission statement and healthy decision-making process, to help trustees stay out... Read More
I worked for a nonprofit organization for several years and remember taking boxes of letters and envelopes home to fold, stuff, and seal because we couldn’t afford to pay a service to do it. When I started working at a foundation, I overlooked funding needs such as those, I’m ashamed to admit. We as funders... Read More
As we enter the new year and decade, I want to call your attention to an important piece of legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by the President in the closing days of 2019 that has significant implications for those of us in the world of private foundations. The “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act,... Read More
Many people say the U.S. government imposes too many regulations and too much paperwork on our economy. Although everyone doesn’t feel this way, it’s a pretty common refrain. One arena very free of government requirements is foundation grants to public charities. Yet many people who work in foundations and many professional advisors to foundations—attorneys, accountants, and consultants—are... Read More
This year’s Foundations on the Hill (FOTH) was hosted by the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers in partnership with the Council on Foundations and Alliance for Charitable Reform. FOTH is a multiday event that brings foundation leaders from across the country to Washington, DC for meetings with Congress about key issues of importance to foundations... Read More